SALEM, Ore.
– UBC Thunderbirds pitchers were the story on the opening day of the 2026 Cascade Conference season, with the T-Birds finding their offence in the late innings of both games to sweep a doubleheader Friday afternoon Warrior Field.
UBC (8-5, 2-0 CCC) used a six-run seventh to break a scoreless tie to win Game 1, 6-0, while the T-Birds rallied in the late innings to claim a 3-1 Game two victory.
Thunderbirds ace
Carleen Murray was dazzling in game one, going the distance in the circle for UBC while limiting the Warriors to one hit, a single, while striking out 12 in the victory.
Miranda Scovil was strong for the Warriors for most of game one (0-8, 0-2), taking a shutout into the seventh inning against the 2025 NAIA Tournament qualifier, but
Jessica Heutink broke up the shutout bid with a two-run single, starting the big inning for the Canadian side. The 'Birds would score all six runs in the final frame, taking advantage of Warriors' walks and defensive miscues, before
Kennedy Laird and
Marin Jorgenson tacked on RBI singles to cap the offensive turnaround.
In the nightcap, the 'Birds turned to
Brynn Fortier on the rubber and she delivered another strong start, scattering four hits over five innings of one-run ball.
The Warriors scratched their lone run through in the second, as Irene VanDyke singled, stole second and moved to third on a Kaiya Peterson single. After VanDyke was thrown out at the plate on a fielders' choice, Breanna Crosby lined a double into the right-center gap to score Peterson with the Warriors' only run of the game.
UBC plated a run on a passed ball in the fifth and took the lead on an Anna Bromley sacrifice fly. The T-Birds would add an insurance run on a wild pitch in the sixth, with Murray re-appearing to retire the final six batters and earn a save.
The two teams close out the weekend series on Saturday with an 11:00 a.m. (PT) doubleheader.
